Joy

March 30 - April 2 2011

Need I say more?

Consider the Lillies

picture from The Wright Lens

The other day I was feeling overwhelmed by all the changes occurring in my life.

I had been busy all day with essential things, yet my "to do" list of additional necessary and important things lay almost untouched. By evening I was distraught. Mark suggested I go for a much needed and very delayed run. Even though it was dinner time, I went. 

The evening air was cool and clean and freeing.

As I began to run, feelings welled up and began to bubble over.
I walked until I stopped crying, began to run again only to find the cycle repeating itself.

As I was running I was suddenly aware of a white canopy above me.

I looked up to see three beautiful trees so thick with white blossoms
I could hardly see the branches.

I reached up to a low branch and as I looked closely at the individual flowers their sweet fragrance filled me. At that moment the message of this song filled my heart and I felt God's love for me.

I was not alone, I could not do everything I wanted but

I would be guided so that I could accomplish the most important things
and that was all that mattered.

I stood for a minute taking it all in,
then allowed the wind to dry my face as I and ran home. 

Reflections

My life ebbs and flows like everyones but it seems lately it's been in large waves rather than a soft surf on a shallow beach. Wonderful exciting things as well as challenges and just as the the trees are leafing out and filling with pink and white blossoms my life will also change in big ways very soon. Someone recently related that the kanji symbol for challenge is the same or similar to that of change. Amy and Jordan came to Utah over conference with their two sweet children to bless Peter. Aaron, Celisa and Olivia were able to get a flight out and join us. Christian got special permission to go to the temple that week also. I began to move with more speed to get the basement bathroom in usable condition (ie. walls painted, towels and more than a plastic drop cloth for a shower curtain... among other things.) That same week Robbie called me on a Monday afternoon to tell me he'd been in an accident. 

Picture from his ipod

Another driver didn't see him and hit him 

We were blessed that he was protected but it bent the frame and his car was totaled.

Later that week he lost his job. 

By Wednesday family was arriving and our home became wonderfully full.

Thursday morning Kindermusik class with my granddaughters and their Uncles was heaven.

Each day was so wonderful.

Robbie's trials have turned out to be blessings in many ways although not everything is resolved yet.

But we do feel confident that all will work out. 

I will leave you with the family picture we took while everyone was here and post more pictures of specific events in the coming days.

Healthier desserts

Those who know me well know that I love desserts, especially chocolate.

Eating a lot of sweets definitely does not help me maintain my weight but the thought of giving them up forever often feels daunting and impossible. 

Ever since Amy shared with me her awesome recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I have been experimenting with lots of other recipes/combinations to make desserts (or snacks) healthier.

I wouldn't exactly call them health food but healthier food.

Time for me to get back to Weight Watchers, but if I can have these when I'm back where I want to be and a few pumpkin cookies on the way success will be that much sweeter!

Brownie recipe here.

The whole wide world

 

It seems today that the count down begins...

...suddenly my time with this young lady is limited.

 

Time with her living under my roof, needing me in a daily pack your lunch, 

help with school projects, take me to the store kind of way that is. 

I suppose it always has been limited from the day she was born 

but somehow turning 16 begins the countdown. 

Being 16 means new freedoms and privileges

as well as greater responsibilities...

although it seems that she's been so very responsible for a long time already.

I truly hope we will always be close friends.

She has worked so hard, learned so much and come so far.

I am confident that she will continue in the same path and in doing so 

will discover a whole wide world opened up to her.

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNIFER

 I love you!

This video was supposed to post with this... oops

The rest of the story...

I can't tell you exactly how long Mark has had this philosophy on where Christian was going to be called on his mission but it seems like it's been a very long time. 

This is how it goes:

Mark was living in Minnesota when he got his mission call.

Straight down the US as south as you get from Minnesota - Louisiana, Baton Rouge.

Aaron went the the next country down, Mexico

as far South as you can go, Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Robbie when to Southern Brazil, 

to Santa Maria...

  

So Christian would of course be heading to Southern Argentina, 

or possibly southern Chile.

He totally hit the nail on the head!

The mission map is on the right.

We're not sure what to make of it all

except that maybe Heavenly Father is logical too...

or just has a great sense of humor

actually we are sure that both are right.

His  mission is quite large and diverse. A transfer by bus can take up to 24 hours.

Some transfers are done by plane. It includes very nice areas as well as very poor areas. 

Wind and mud are fairly constant throughout the mission, although the desert of Patagonia only gets 5" of rain annualy. He needs to bring a sleeping bag with a liner for his bedding and will likely stay in apartments as nice as our home to a 6x8 foot hut. Patagonia has animals not found anywhere else on the earth. Charles Darwin spent some time in Patagonia and said it was one of his favorite places. Temperatures in his mission range from 110f to 10 below. The Southern areas have a lot of snow, little sun in winter (our summer) and almost constant sun in the summer (our winter). There are beaches, mountains and desert, big cities and tiny villages. He will be speaking Spanish. He leaves July 6th.

Last night was fun, loud, joyful and completely amazing.

I feel incredibly happy and blessed

and a little hungover today.

I think I am going to take a nap.

Life is oh so good!

The call has arrived!

I can see it...

It's sitting on the countertop...

waiting

waiting for family and friends to gather tonight

waiting for it's recipient, 

Elder Christian Burton Zimbelman to arrive.

So that's what I'm doing too....

waiting

and that's what you'll have to do too...

Until tonight!

*Neuquen, Argentina*

reports to the MTC July 6th

Mark had it pegged... I'll post the story tomorrow.

WOW!